Blake Griffin Shining Bright For The Clippers In The 2015 Playoffs

Coming into the 2015 NBA Playoffs, Chris Paul was expected to be the torch that lit the Los Angeles Clippers’ fire. Instead, Blake Griffin has emerged as an unstoppable force in virtually every facet of the game.

While Paul was instrumental in the Clippers’ first-round victory over the San Antonio Spurs, a hamstring injury sidelined him for games one and two of the team’s second-round series against the Houston Rockets.

A crushing blow, to be sure, but with it, an opportunity came.

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An opportunity for Blake Griffin to shake off the “soft” label that has been both quietly murmured by past teammates and thunderously echoed and regurgitated by mainstream media outlets.

Griffin and his Clippers could have easily waited to take their chances with a 2-0 series deficit once Paul came back for game three, but instead Griffin did whatever was necessary to will his team to the finish line.

Running the point, distributing, scoring, rebounding, and defending.

He did it all — and more.

Austin Rivers may have been fun to watch, but make no mistake —  Blake Griffin was responsible for the Clippers’ domination of the Rockets.

Even in a Game 5 that saw virtually every Clipper not named Griffin or Paul play like they didn’t know what a basketball was, Griffin was a dominant force who’s contributions dotted the shell-shocked landscape of an otherwise pathetic performance by the Clippers.

Griffin’s domination shouldn’t be taken as too much of a shock either.

Although he has statistically regressed from last season to this one, he has undeniably improved. A nearly-mastered mid-ranged jump-shot, an ever-expanding repertoire of post moves, and a vastly superior basketball I.Q. are all parts of Griffin’s game that have expanded from last season.

All of these improvements too, have Griffin playing some of the best playoff basketball we’ve seen in a while.

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With playoff averages of 25.2 points, 13.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, a block, and one steal per-game, it’s easy to make a case for Griffin being the best player in the postseason so far.

With that sensational play, comes the inevitable talk of an unlikely march to the Finals led by Griffin’s seemingly unstoppable play.

But, that’s just it — has Griffin become unstoppable this postseason?

If I were given a chance to critique just one thing in regards to Griffin’s postseason thus far, it would be this: the inability to initiate the offense while under pressure.

When he’s garnered extra attention from defenses — much like Game 2 against the Rockets — Griffin has been inconsistent, and understandably so.

Like his first-round opponent Tim Duncan used to do, Griffin needs to find a way to keep his composure when being double-teamed. Duncan used to know exactly where the double-team was coming from, and pass the ball accordingly.

Griffin’s mind seems to be moving too fast for him to successfully make plays under that kind of pressure — while not a necessity, the ability to make double-teamers pay would go a long way, especially in the postseason.

Griffin’s double-team-induced turnovers haven’t really cost the Clippers yet, but you can be sure they will if, when, and should they accumulate.

Bottom Line: Chris Paul might be the compass, but Blake Griffin is the diamond in the rough

This is a small blemish on an otherwise phenomenal performance though. As long as Chris Paul’s minutes continue to increase, and he continues to mold back into the Chris Paul that put the dagger in the San Antonio Spurs in the first round, this problem should become ever more scarce as time passes.

Only time will tell if Griffin can carry his playoff-domination to a consistent level, which would launch him into the upper-echelon of both current players, and maybe all-time greats.

Questions are sure to follow regarding whether or not this postseason was a fluke, but if Griffin can carry his unlikely Clippers to the Finals, and possibly to a championship, it would be one of the more unbelievable stories to unfold in NBA history.